The Next Stage
by TheZygomaticArch
Summary: Originally meant to be an on going story from the first chapter. I've changed it to a series of One-Shots for B&B. Past, present, and future. Hope you enjoy:
1. Want me to prove it to you?

Okay, so new story. Haven't done one in a while, but I've had the idea for this one rolling around in my head for a while.

Hope you like it.

If you want more, please review and let me know!

Oh... and I don't own Bones:D

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><p>Exhausted was an understatement as they fell into bed that night. The week behind them had been extra busy for both the FBI and Jeffersonian, but the real chaos came in the form of a small baby girl sleeping just down the hall. Taking care of their new born was a labor of love, but this week in particular, the new parents were really feeling the labor.<p>

Brennan had only been back to work for two weeks and was quickly discovering the transition wasn't nearly as easy as she had predicted. Between the separation anxiety of leaving her child at daycare everyday and demands of her job, she wasn't quite back to functioning at her normal standards. Actually, she was just happy to be functioning at all. For his part, Booth was doing his best to play super dad. After watching Brennan carry their child for nine months and having been limited in Parker's infant life, Booth was determined to fully participate in all parental duties this time around. However, as with the woman sleeping next to him, he was running on empty. Their life had become an array of dead corpse and dirty diapers with little to no sleep inbetween.

Tonight, though, if by the grace of God or some scientific product- their daughter was sleeping through the night.

Or at least she had been until four in the morning; when the slightest sigh came across on the baby monitor on the night stand. The sigh was then quickly followed by a loud wailing and in no time Christine wasn't the only one awake.

"Do you love me?" Brennan rolled over to Booth side; still half asleep.

Booth looked at her tired eyes but wasn't completely sure he wanted to play this game, "You want me to prove it to you?"

"If you're not to sleepy..." Brennan couldn't even fully get the words out before another mighty cry interrupted her. "She's hungry. There are some bottles in the fridge I just pumped last night. Get it."

"You get it," Booth knew this was a losing battle but he tried anyway.

"No, you get it," and with that Brennan pulled the blanket off of him; exposing him to the cold air.

Booth sat up and rubbed his eyes, "Fine. I get it."

He wandered down to the kitchen of their new home like a zombie and prepared a bottle for his daughter. Initially, they had agreed to take turns with getting up with Christine, but somewhere along the line they had lost the order. Now it was a match of who could come up with the best argument or who was feeling the most generous. The worst part was the actual getting out of bed, once they had made it to their daughter's nursery and calmed her down, it wasn't to bad. She was a beautiful baby, and more importantly she was theirs.

"Bones, what are you doing?" When Booth got to Christine's room he hadn't even noticed that she'd stopped crying. She was already nestled closely in her mother's arms and being cradled by the rocking chair.

"I needed to pump, so I thought I would just feed her," Her eyes met with Booth's. It was hard to tell if he was frustrated or happy with her, "You can go back to sleep..."

It was a tempting offer, but he decided to pass, "Nah, you know I'm already up. I can stay with you."

She smiled, "Thank you."

"To prove I love you and all..." He lightly jabbed before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"I love you, too."

"I was talking to Christine," He teased her some more before placing a light peck on her lips. "I love you."

It still made Brennan's stomach flip a little to hear him say that; she thought she would have been used to it by now as he told her at least once a day. Still it excited her, though, almost has much as it excited her to say it back. That part she was proud to have become routine. No hesitation or nerves, just love.

Once she was done feeding Christine, they settled her back in her bassinet and made their way back to the bedroom. It was still early enough that they could grab at least another two hours of sleep before having to be ready for work. But before they could even crawl back under the covers, their cellphones buzzed almost simultaneously.

"We got a case..." Booth couldn't remember the last time he was so unenthused about a case.

"Do we have to go now?" Only a couple weeks ago, these words would have never come out of her mouth. Not with possibility that her crimes scene or body could be disturbed. "What do we do about Christine? The Jeffersonian daycare facility isn't open yet..."

"Well... one of us can go now and the other can stay with Christine and catch up later."

"Okay," Brennan got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Bones. Where are you going?"

"I'm getting ready," Brennan turned on the shower. "The Jeffersonian Daycare facility technically opens at seven, but you can probably take her a little early. And make sure you bring all the bottles in the refrigerator with you, that should last her the day and then-"

"No, Bones. No. No deal. I'm going to the crime scene. You're on daycare duty."

"What? Why?"

"Because I have to interview witnesses that's why. I'll call Cam and she'll take care of the crime scene," Booth began doing his best to herd her out of the bathroom.

"If the FBI needed Cam's expertise they would have requested her services, but they specifically asked for mine. You do the daycare duty."

"Bones. FBI crimes scene. I'm FBI."

"Fine. Then lets just take Christine with us then." It seemed like the rational practical move.

"Take our daughter to a crime scene? Bones are you crazy? You want our daughter seeing that kind of stuff?"

"Booth, she'll be fine. We can take turns watching her."

"Our two month old is not seeing a dead body, Bones."

"I'll make sure she is not in any significant proximity to the remains, Booth."

"...Fine."

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><p>So there you go. Chapter one.<p>

I know it doesn't instantly start off with what you were expecting in the summary but the next chapter will be the jumping off point. This was the setup.

Anyone catch the little reference in the beginning? The Beginning? Huh huh?

Anyways, I hoped you liked it. I don't have kid myself (wayyy to young for that still) so I hope I'm writing them as parents well.

Review and let me know your thoughts. Things you'd like to see and things you wouldn't! I keep it all in mind.


	2. Isn't it?

So as you might have seen. This is no longer a continuation of the previous chapter. Its now a series of one-shots.

Maybe I'll include some continuation of the first scene in later chapters but now its just a random collection:)

This one takes place post-predator in the pool

REVIEW!:D

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><p>"Well, Temperance, thank you for an amazing evening."<p>

Brennan was thrilled to hear those words come out of Andrew Hacker's mouth. Not because she, too, had enjoyed a particularly "amazing evening", but she took Andrew's words as an indication that their night was over. "Yes, I had quite a pleasant evening myself," she spoke while stepping to the curve and waving herself a cab.

"You know, Temperance…" Andrew stepped right into her line of view with a suggestive and hopeful smile. "It doesn't have to be over now. A colleague just gave me a bottle of this very expensive aged brandy as a thank you. I'd love to share it with you."

Brennan's stomach tightened, she had been hoping to avoid this part of the date. The part where whatever planned activity was over and everything came down to 'are we or aren't we having sex?' and 'how long do we have to pretend that we're not angling for sex'.

"Actually, Andrew, I find that I'm very tired, I would prefer that we suspend our evening now," She watched as his face fell into a not so subtle disappointment. They'd been out together a couple times over the last few months; and this was nothing new. "I'm sorry, Andrew."

Hacker hung his head but managed a smile, "Another time then."

Brennan hesitated . Normally, she would say yes, but tonight she couldn't. "Andrew, although I do find your company to be enjoyable. I believe it would be best if we end our romantic venture and return to just being friends."

"I had a feeling this was coming," He nodded his head in defeat as he watched her turn her attention back to hailing a cab. "It's Booth, isn't it?"

Brennan's heart felt like it had just stopped, "What?"

"Booth, right? He's the reason."

"Booth and I are just partners," her trained response spit out. "We're not seeing one another."

"No, I just meant that I'm his boss," Hacker looked at her strangely, not expecting her sudden defensiveness. "It kind of complicates things for us to be going out…"

"Oh, yes. I agree," although she knew that wasn't the full reason.

"You know… I am his boss. I could fire him…"

Brennan looked at him horrified, "You can't terminate Booth. That's—"

"Joke, Temperance. It was just a joke."

"Oh."

Hacker could see the relief wash over her and though he had never been particually good at reading women, he finally got the big picture. "Booth is… he's a good man."

Brennan nodded slowly, "I know."

"It would be a shame to lose him."

"Yes. It would."

"So… ice cream?"

"Sure, sounds good. But are you sure you don't have some place to be, Seeley?"

"Why would you think that?" Booth looked up from his phone and back to the beautiful woman standing a few steps behind them. They'd just finished dinner and Booth had thought things were going pretty well, so he was surprised by this sudden curve ball.

"It's just that you've been checking your phone nearly every two minutes all night…" Catherine had tried to overlook this fact, but as the evening went on, her annoyance got the better of her. "I feel like I'm keeping you from something."

"What? No," Booth slid his phone into his back pocket. "I just… my line of work; you never know when you're going to get a call. I just like to keep myself, alert you know? Now how bout that ice cream?"

"It's the scientist, isn't it?"

"What?" For the first time all night, Booth's full attention was on his date.

"The scientist woman. Your partner. She's the reason you've been obsessively checking your phone all night, right?"

"No… Bones is… she's my partner. She's just work."

"So those territorial looks she was giving me… those are what?"

Booth wanted to tell her everything. Tell her about that night outside the hoover. The coma dream. Everything. Not because he felt he owed her an explanation, but because he just wanted to talk about it. Get it all out and maybe it would leave him, but, "… Dr. Brennan is just my partner."

Catherine smiled politely, "Listen. I don't want to be the other woman…"

"Catherine, I swear-"

"Just let me finish," she cut him off. "My ex, there was another woman. I really would rather not take on that role myself…"

"You're not…"

"I had a really nice time, Seeley," She grinned coolly at him and turned around.

Booth felt the urge to go after her. Maybe explain recent events and promise to give her his undivided attention, but at that moment his phone buzzed in his pocket.

[[Hacker and I have agreed to stop seeing one another.

Another buzz.

[[How has your night been?

And suddenly all was forgotten.

Pretty good night.]]

Pretty good indeed.

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><p>Hope you liked that! Review and let me know other things you'd like to see!<p> 


	3. Eventually

Okay, so this next chapter takes place at the end of Blackout in the Blizzard (it was playing on rerun today so I was a little inspired.

To me, that last scene just seemed so unfinished. Like there was supposed to be more but they just burned to paper as a quick end.

Anway, so I offer you a little bit more. Please read and review! I would love for you to give me prompts in reviews as well:)

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><p>He hissed in pain.<p>

"Bones! Stop, stop! It hurts! Let me just get some ice-"

"No, Booth. You're not supposed to ice a burn,"she thwarted his body's move to the fridge then grabbed his wrist; sticking his hand back under the cool running water. "Putting ice on a fresh burn can cause swelling and nerve damage to the epidermis."

"It hurts!"

"Booth, stop being such a child!"

Booth winced a little more before the cooling effect of the water finally began to kick in, "Okay... that does feel a little better."

"Yes..." Brennan loosened her grip, "There shouldn't be terribly much swelling."

"Yeah..." Suddenly Booth was more aware of the close proximity he was now sharing with his partner and the burn was forgotten. Her hand was was lightly cupping his own in his kitchen sink; fingers holding and caressing one another. His hard callous palms against her dainty and slender... phalanges. It was a nice moment. Nice and intimate... but perhaps to much, "Bones..."

"Yes?" Her gaze looked up to meet his.

"You don't have to hold my hand, you know. I'm okay, now."

Self consciousness came crashing aback to her and she regretfully let go, "Right. Of course."

He watched as she suddenly put the distance back between them and he silently cursed himself. There was a time where he couldn't get close enough to her and now... "Don't you think October is a long way away?"

"It's seven months," Her very factual answer, although she knew that's not what he really meant.

"But that's a long time, right? October tenth... that feels like a long time," he had looked at her paper and he'd seen what she'd written. The date of the game with his dad... how did she remember? He said it once and she had made a note of it and scrawled it down. His one perfect day. "You want to wait that long?"

She had thought this topic had been dropped. With the whimsical burning of the dates, she had assumed this was now going back to one of those topics they just didn't discuss, "What date did you write down?"

"I didn't."

"Oh..." It stung her a little. "But it was your idea. You said that we were supposed to write down a date, and then burn them so they could be released into the universe- which is ridiculous but-"

"I wrote something down, Bones. It just wasn't an exact date." Booth reached over and turned off the sink. "It was more like an idea..."

"What did you write?"

"Eventually."

"Eventually?"

"Yeah. Eventually."

Brennan looked at him in confusion, "Do you mean that you wrote down 'eventually' or that you are going to eventually tell me? Because I don't think that its faire that you are informed of my date and I'm not of yours. Especially, since-"

"No, Bones," It was slightly adorable to see how flustered she was getting. So defensive and yet so curious about something that she swore possessed no magical powers. "I wrote down "eventually."

She managed a smile, but it was not one of enthusiasm, "Because everything happens, eventually... right?"

"Right."

For whatever reason, this upset her, and she wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't like burning dates could actually do anything... but it was the intension around it. That she had been told this over and over again for years, and eventually continued to exist on some other linear timeline than her own. "Booth... if you don't..." She stumbled some and tried to regain her footing. "If you don't want this, it's alright. I would prefer that you just-"

Booth walked towards her and cupped her face in his hands; once again silencing her. "Bones. I want this. I do. I want you."

Brennan could feel her knees going week and was now lost in some limbo of not know if he was about to lean in and kiss her or... if he was a moment from dropping his hands at his sides and just walking away.

"You know I want you, right?" He repeated.

"I know that you did."

"Do."

"But what about Hannah?" She had to ask, there was no helping it. "You wanted her, too. You told me that she wasn't a consolation prize. You said you loved her. Were you lying to me?"

"No," and it hurt him to say it.

"Do you still love her?"

A sigh of relief escaped him, "No. I don't."

She was surprised at just how pleased she was to hear that... but there was still the matter of the both of them. "Are you lying now?"

"No. I've spent too long lying about this. About you and me. I don't want to do it anymore. Do you?"

"I never lied about us..."

Booth shook his head and turned back to living room. Maybe this was to much for tonight. They'd made progress but they needed to stop while they were ahead.

"Booth?" She watched as he began to pick up their beers and trash from the coffee table. "While it is true that I never technically lied about us... as we have always been, only partners. I am, however, ready to begin when that time presents itself. Eventually."

"What?"

"When you and I are ready to..." she trailed off not knowing what specifically to call it. Date? Embark on a romantic venture? Have sex... "I will be ready to... lie... about us only being partners."

He smiled.

"Assuming that we intend to keep our relationship discreet in the beginning as to make a more proper transition in our professional lives."

His smile only grew; no helping it. Temperance Brennan was speaking about the two of them and their possible future together. A future she saw just has he had. "You'd lie for me?" he teased.

"Eventually."


End file.
